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adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
On the streets of fascist Barcelona, a boy unravels the mystery behind his favorite book. Some stories can survive the fact that their authors don’t really understand women; in this one the plot threatens to buckle under its own accumulated misogyny.
“I imagined Julián Carax at my age, holding that image in his hand, perhaps in the shade of the same tree that now sheltered me. I could almost see him smiling confidently, contemplating a future as wide and luminous as that avenue, and for a moment I thought there were no more ghosts there than those of absence and loss and that the light that smiled on me was borrowed light, real only as long as I could hold it in my eyes, second by second” (147)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Blood, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment
Minor: Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, War
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
RATING: 2
And once again, a book everyone loves that I hate
This was one of the worst reading experiences I've ever had (note: emphasis on "EXPERIENCE", because it reflects only my experience and not the quality of the book)
Yes, I'm that annoyed and revolted comment among several 5 stars and why didn't I like it? Because books have different effects on people!
“Why didn't you DNF it then?" Honestly, because I wanted to know if I'm crazy for being the only person I know who couldn't stand to read this book. I only finished it because I found an audiobook on Scribd.
I do have to admit that the book’s elements are well connected and that Zafon's writing is beautiful (but not stunning), but that was only worth a 2-star pity rating. The book isn't bad, but it's definitely not for me.
Starting at the core of the problem: the book lean towards a genre I don’t like - mystery. I can't stand it when the author purposefully hides something during the entire book to reveal it only at the end, and in the case of “The Shadow of the Wind”, this book is a big nothing in between, and throws all the information you wanted to know at the end, when everything could have been told to you at 20%.
“But the book also brings atmosphere and historical fiction." Okay. However, the beautiful writing came mostly in moments of total digression, with some irrelevant information or even talking about characters that we never saw again. I also hated the “journey” structure of going here and there asking people things. It was STALLING. Also, the historical fiction elements - which is one of my favorite genres - got lost with so much shallow characters. I would say 25% of the characters are relevant. I was extremely disappointed that a character like Nuria, super intriguing, is just a spokesperson, and Daniel's father looks like a mannequin who only questions the boy. Oh, and Daniel is also shallow, no one can convince me otherwise. To finish it off, one of the characters we know best is rotten when it comes to personality, he is racist and sexist - despite it being a characteristic of the time, he trivialized the comments to a point of changing the focal point of my reading into that in a book that is not even about these prejudices. Some scenes are even heavier than heavy scenes in historical fiction books about prejudice I've read.
I end the review by saying: yes, read it. I know that I can't stand mystery, I just didn't expect to be so disappointed, considering that I liked the first 10%. Also: my opinion is not the absolute truth, so here's one more reason for you to read and draw your own conclusions. But for me, it sucked.
And once again, a book everyone loves that I hate
This was one of the worst reading experiences I've ever had (note: emphasis on "EXPERIENCE", because it reflects only my experience and not the quality of the book)
Yes, I'm that annoyed and revolted comment among several 5 stars and why didn't I like it? Because books have different effects on people!
“Why didn't you DNF it then?" Honestly, because I wanted to know if I'm crazy for being the only person I know who couldn't stand to read this book. I only finished it because I found an audiobook on Scribd.
I do have to admit that the book’s elements are well connected and that Zafon's writing is beautiful (but not stunning), but that was only worth a 2-star pity rating. The book isn't bad, but it's definitely not for me.
Starting at the core of the problem: the book lean towards a genre I don’t like - mystery. I can't stand it when the author purposefully hides something during the entire book to reveal it only at the end, and in the case of “The Shadow of the Wind”, this book is a big nothing in between, and throws all the information you wanted to know at the end, when everything could have been told to you at 20%.
“But the book also brings atmosphere and historical fiction." Okay. However, the beautiful writing came mostly in moments of total digression, with some irrelevant information or even talking about characters that we never saw again. I also hated the “journey” structure of going here and there asking people things. It was STALLING. Also, the historical fiction elements - which is one of my favorite genres - got lost with so much shallow characters. I would say 25% of the characters are relevant. I was extremely disappointed that a character like Nuria, super intriguing, is just a spokesperson, and Daniel's father looks like a mannequin who only questions the boy. Oh, and Daniel is also shallow, no one can convince me otherwise. To finish it off, one of the characters we know best is rotten when it comes to personality, he is racist and sexist - despite it being a characteristic of the time, he trivialized the comments to a point of changing the focal point of my reading into that in a book that is not even about these prejudices. Some scenes are even heavier than heavy scenes in historical fiction books about prejudice I've read.
I end the review by saying: yes, read it. I know that I can't stand mystery, I just didn't expect to be so disappointed, considering that I liked the first 10%. Also: my opinion is not the absolute truth, so here's one more reason for you to read and draw your own conclusions. But for me, it sucked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Death of parent
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF:
While the writing in this book was stunning and I was intrigued by the mystery, it was just too long and slow for me. I personally struggle with mysteries and violence in stories, which were both present for this story. Had it been shorter I think I would have sped through it happily. Wonderful characters though, and fantastic twist, if ever so slightly predictable.
Finished:
Initially I had dnf'd this book, as it felt like it was plodding along with no respite. I still feel that there were a lot of sections that were incredibly dense and perhaps unnecessary, but this may also be a result of the work being translated. I am glad I finished this book though, it was a brilliantly twisting story, one twist after the other, and many moments of reading with bated breath. The characters felt full and complex, and it wasn't too hard to empathize with at least a number of them. I am not jumping to read this story again, but I am happy I picked it back up, so I can have the story bumbling around in my head now.
While the writing in this book was stunning and I was intrigued by the mystery, it was just too long and slow for me. I personally struggle with mysteries and violence in stories, which were both present for this story. Had it been shorter I think I would have sped through it happily. Wonderful characters though, and fantastic twist, if ever so slightly predictable.
Finished:
Initially I had dnf'd this book, as it felt like it was plodding along with no respite. I still feel that there were a lot of sections that were incredibly dense and perhaps unnecessary, but this may also be a result of the work being translated. I am glad I finished this book though, it was a brilliantly twisting story, one twist after the other, and many moments of reading with bated breath. The characters felt full and complex, and it wasn't too hard to empathize with at least a number of them. I am not jumping to read this story again, but I am happy I picked it back up, so I can have the story bumbling around in my head now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Gun violence
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really struggled with this book. I went into it with really high expectations, and therefore for the first two-thirds of it I was anxiously anticipating what makes this such a highly acclaimed read. The answer, for me at least, was the ending. The last third, and really the shift into Nuria’s perspective, saved this book for me and I found myself finally enjoying the story. While I could appreciate the writing and the plot up until that point, I wasn’t particularly entranced by the mystery and it felt like I was just plodding along; for that reason, I would give this book 3 ½ stars.
The perspective is that of a teenage boy and is told in first-person, which at least partially was the reason I found it so hard to get sucked into this book. Since I felt distanced from the characters and the goings-on, it didn’t take much to jar me while reading and throw me out of the plot. Every asinine opinion on women, the fetishization of a “mulatto” woman, or the dismissive way sexual assault was casually sprinkled throughout the book was enough to disrupt my reading and fuel my distaste.
Again, like I said, I can appreciate what Zafón was trying to achieve here in a literary sense. I would love to have properly analyzed this book in a classroom setting to better understand the nuance of mid-twentieth century Spain, rather than rely on my own haphazard understanding and research.
“Wars have no memory, and nobody has the courage to understand them until there are no voices left to tell what happened, until the moment comes when we no longer recognize them and they return, with another face and another name, to devour what they left behind.”
This is a multi-generational story, with the actions of 20/30 years ago affecting and mirroring a younger generation. At its heart, there is a cautionary tale of second chances and the destruction that hate and prejudices carry. As well, there are beautiful and evocative lines. This is a book largely about a book, which naturally leads to beautiful phrases about storytelling, reading, and human nature.
“The words with which a child’s heart is poisoned, through malice or through ignorance, remain branded in his memory, and sooner or later they burn his soul.”
Despite my mixed experience of it, I am glad that I finally read The Shadow of the Wind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Police brutality
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Sexual assault, Torture
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Police brutality
Minor: Death, Blood
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Police brutality
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief
Minor: Miscarriage, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Excrement
I read this for the first time back in 2014 and apparently gave it 3 stars and I truly don't know what the hell I was smoking.
I love this book. Despite it containing several elements that I tend not to like. Primarily: the melodrama of it all.
I often find melodramatic, navel-gazing stories where the characters are all a bit morose and despairing VERY unenjoyable. And there's a decent amount of that in this story. However, there is also a particular light-heartedness and sense of humor to it all, which I think is what made me love it so much. That blend of serious, despairing, what-is-the-meaning-of-it-all-and-are-we-all-just-doomed-to-be-tragic moments and the optimism, humor, and tongue-in-cheek moments just really hit for me. Fermin de Torres is by far my favorite character, but Daniel is number two. Fermin is absolutely HILARIOUS.
Also, the prose. I wish I could read Spanish completely fluently, because I can only imagine how it is in the original language. But even in the English translation, the prose is wonderful. I was ENGROSSED in this book.
It might help that I did a summer study abroad program in Barcelona back in college, so re-reading this just made me ACHE for Barcelona. I felt like I was there again, and recognized the atmosphere of the various streets and parts of the city... it was just beautifully described, all the way around.
I also think that I enjoyed it so much because while, yes, it's quite a tragic, gothic, morose story... there's so much mystery involved and you're watching it all unfold and all of the various plot twists (which I had completely forgotten about!) made it so entertaining as well as lush and captivating.
I love this book. Despite it containing several elements that I tend not to like. Primarily: the melodrama of it all.
I often find melodramatic, navel-gazing stories where the characters are all a bit morose and despairing VERY unenjoyable. And there's a decent amount of that in this story. However, there is also a particular light-heartedness and sense of humor to it all, which I think is what made me love it so much. That blend of serious, despairing, what-is-the-meaning-of-it-all-and-are-we-all-just-doomed-to-be-tragic moments and the optimism, humor, and tongue-in-cheek moments just really hit for me. Fermin de Torres is by far my favorite character, but Daniel is number two. Fermin is absolutely HILARIOUS.
Also, the prose. I wish I could read Spanish completely fluently, because I can only imagine how it is in the original language. But even in the English translation, the prose is wonderful. I was ENGROSSED in this book.
It might help that I did a summer study abroad program in Barcelona back in college, so re-reading this just made me ACHE for Barcelona. I felt like I was there again, and recognized the atmosphere of the various streets and parts of the city... it was just beautifully described, all the way around.
I also think that I enjoyed it so much because while, yes, it's quite a tragic, gothic, morose story... there's so much mystery involved and you're watching it all unfold and all of the various plot twists (which I had completely forgotten about!) made it so entertaining as well as lush and captivating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, Pregnancy
Minor: War